Infants, children, and other incontinent individuals wear disposable absorbent articles to receive and contain urine and other bodily exudates. It is very desirable that the absorbent article fit snugly about the lower torso of the wearer to reduce the risk of urine, feces, or other bodily fluids leaking from the absorbent article and soiling the wearer's clothing, bed sheets, etc. It has been found that the fit of an absorbent article can be greatly improved by making the article elastically contractible.
Prior training pants have been elasticized using elastic elements disposed in the training pants such that the waist opening and leg openings are at least partially encircled with elasticized bands. This method of using elastic elements is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,610,680 to LaFleur; 4,610,681 to Strohbeen, et al.; 4,641,381 to Heran, et al.; 4,909,804 to Douglas, Sr.; and 4,960,414 to Meyer.
Another method of elasticizing disposable training pants is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,490,464; 4,938,753; and 4,938,757 all of which issued to Van Gompel, et al. These patents disclose a pant-like garment formed by attaching discrete stretchable members to the side edges of the main body of the garment.
Another method of elasticizing disposable training pants is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,433 which issued on Sep. 21, 1993 to Margaret H. Hasse, Russell P. Bridges, and Steven W. Miller. This patent discloses a unitary disposable garment having laminate earflaps which are ring-rolled or otherwise mechanically stretched to form elasticized earflap portions which are unitary with the disposable garment.
However, it has been found that a training pant having a fully elasticized chassis will fit the wearer's lower torso more snugly and will reduce the risk of urine, feces, or other bodily fluids leaking from the garment. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disposable garment, such as disposable training pants, having a fully elasticized chassis which provides a more garment-like appearance and fits more snugly about the lower torso of the wearer.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a disposable garment, such as disposable training pants, having a fully elasticized chassis which provides a more garment-like appearance and fits more snugly about the lower torso of the wearer.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article having a fully elasticized chassis and having fixed sides, which is very garment-like in appearance and feel so a toilet training child will distinguish it from a diaper and will easily adjust to cloth undergarments.